The present invention relates a container with a handle region specifically designed to receive a rope handle.
Rope handles are used on numerous different types of containers. One of these different types of containers is in the form of an open top bucket having a peripheral upper lip with rope handles fitted through the upper lip to opposite sides of the bucket.
The typical method of fitting a rope handle to a container e.g., a bucket type container, is to fit each end of the rope through an opening in the container wall and to then somehow expand the opposite ends of the rope so that they cannot pull back through the opening. The expansion of the ends of the rope can be done in many different ways as for example, by knotting the ends of the rope or by attaching something to the rope.
Some rope handles have a nylon or similar plastic material construction and the ends of this type of rope can be enlarged by melting the rope end.
All of the above rope treatment processes are labor intensive which can add significantly to the cost of a container which might otherwise be relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, when working with a nylon type rope the melting of the rope ends makes the attachment of the rope to the container permanent. The rope can only be released from the container by cutting off the rope ends. Furthermore, these rope ends can be difficult to cut off because of both the use of nylon material in making the handle and the thickness of the nylon.
The present invention relates to a container having a handle region to receive a rope handle in a manner which avoids the drawbacks of prior art container handles. More specifically, the handle region on the container of the present invention is provided with a rope fitting opening through the handle region. The handle region also includes a flexible rope grip which flexes open to a rope insertion and release position in a direction away from the opening. The rope grip member then pinches inwardly to a rope grip position in a direction at the opening in the handle region of the container.
When working with a container having a handle region according to the present invention the end of the rope is first passed through the opening. It is then fitted in the rope grip which flexes open to receive the rope end. However, when the container is lifted by the handle, the rope end is pulled in a direction back towards the opening in the handle region causing the rope grip to pinch on the rope end trapping the rope handle with the container.
In the event that the handle becomes damaged or if it is desired to replace the handle for any other reason the end of the rope can simply be released from the rope grip. It is then pulled back through the opening in the handle region to allow the fitting of a new rope handle with the container.